So I’m newly pregnant for the first time (yay!) and looking for books about what’s happening to my body. Most resources focus 90% on fetal development (“this week, your baby is the size of a grape”) and only 10% on the woman. For example they might have a list of common symptoms, but no explanation as to the scientific / biological reasoning behind what’s happening to you, other than “hormones.” Of course the fetal development is interesting but I want to know WHY I’m suddenly wide awake from 2-4am every single night, WHY I’m queasy, what’s happening to my bones and ligaments, etc. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
by strongly-worded
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The Birth Partner was the best book I read like this. It’s written for the partner but describes what happens to the mother’s body especially as delivery approaches. Highly recommend.
It’s more about the mental changes that we go through during pregnancy, but Matresence by Lucy Jones is incredible. It addresses some pretty heavy topics (eg, maternal mortality rates, postpartum mental health, birth trauma), but it should honestly be mandatory reading for anyone who wants to be a parent, male or female.